It was one heck of a weekend as the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series worked its way to a close after a long and grueling season. This rendition of the NHRA World Finals was actually even more drama-ridden than most others for a couple of reasons. Championships in the funny car and pro stock motorcycle divisions were left to be decided, it would be the last ever race for carbureted pro stock cars, it would be the last race for Allen Johnson racing as a Mopar driver (which he’s been FOREVER), it would be the last race ever for ESPN broadcasting NHRA drag racing and ultimately it would be the last race for well like TV professionals Mike Dunn and top end reporter Gary Gerould. In short this is a pivotal time for NHRA drag racing and it all came to a head in Pomona. Pro stocks won’t look the same next year, the TV channel will be different, the people delivering the TV message will be different, and as of 12:01 yesterday morning, a new era at NHRA began.
Now that you’ve had that dramatic lead in, we’re going to show you some great videos below. Top end interviews with winners are always good but there are none better than those given by championship winners, race winners, and people who needed a win to close out their year for reasons of confidence, ability, etc. You will see a wide range of emotions here from the tears of AJ to the happiness of Eddie Krawiec, and the near wonder in the voice of Shawn Langdon. The season is over, the emotions are spent, and as it does every year, the NHRA World Finals provided some of the most awesome action that anyone could have imagined. Here’s what the winners looked like:
NHRA 2015 funny car champion Del Worsham after locking title –
Del after winning race (He locked title in the semi-finals) –
Shawn Langon after winning top fuel (Antron Brown locked title in Last Vegas) –
Allen Johnson is highly emotional after winning pro stock –
Andrew Hines locks 5th career championship in Pro Stock motorcycle –
Eddie Kraweic win NHRA World Finals and finishes 2nd in points –
NHRA might have their head up their arse about half the time, but one has to admit that this year’s champs were about the classiest bunch of people you could hope to have. Congrats to all.
TRUE STORY..I WAS ATTENDING THE NHRA FINALS LIKE I HAVE BEEN DOING ALMOST MY WHOLE LIFE AND WHAT AN HONOR TO SEE “MR.DEL WORSHAM” WIN THE “MELLO YELLOW CHAMPIONSHIP” & THE “FINALS” RACE. ANYWAY I HAD ATTENDED THE VEGAS RACE IN OCTOBER AND RAN INTO DEL IN THE PITS AND TOLD HIM I HAD A SPECIAL T-SHIRT FOR HIM THAT I HAD HAD THE WHOLE “CHECKER CHUCKS KRAGEN” RACE TEAM SIGN AT THE TEAMS FINAL RACE IN POMONA YEARS BACK.ITS WAS BRAND NEW AND STORED IN PLASTIC EVER SINCE.WAS ABLE TO GIVE IT TO HIM AFTER ALL (WHICH SEEMED LIKE HOURS)THE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN IN THE WINNERS CIRCLE.BUT WAS HE IS TOTALLY UNAWARE OF IS THAT THE “BRAND NEW T-SHIRT HE HAD ON DURING THE TV INTERVIEW AFTER WINNING THE RACE.WAS THE SHIRT THAT I HAD GIVEN JIM OBERHOFER AN HOUR OR SO EARLIER BECAUSE IT WAS A “SCOTT KALITTA” 1994 TOP FUEL CHAMPION. IT WAS ALSO BRAND NEW AND STORED IN PLASTIC FOR 21YRS.I JUST WANTED THE KALITTA TEAM TO HAVE IT FOR WHAT IT WAS & WHO IT WAS.LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT WHEN I SAW THE BIG SCREEN AT THE FINISH LINE AND THEM TALKING TO DEL WITH THAT “SCOTT KALIITTA ” SHIRT ON.I WAS JUST BLOWN AWAY & PROUD THAT I HAD JUST WITNESSED ONLY THE 3RD DRIVER EVER TO WIN A TOP FUEL & FUNNY CAR CHAMPIONSHIP! THE OTHER 2 BEING GARY SCELZI & KENNY BERNSTEIN!
DEL WORSHAM IS ONE “CLASS ACT’ AND IS NO DOUBT AN “ICON” IN THE HISTORY & SPORT OF “THE GREATEST MOTORSPORTS IN THE WORLD”
THE “NHRA”
THANKS FOR THAT “SPECIAL MEMORY”
MARTIN COGAN
CHINO HILLS,CA.